Sterile drop assembly



Sept. 24, 1957 R. F. SHEA STERILE DROP ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 1, .1954

ATTEI RN EYE Sept. 24, 1957 R. F. SHEA STERILE DROP ASSEMBLY 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1954 INVENTOR. falerilflslea ATTCI RN EYSUnited 1:

rates Pater Oflfice 2,807,288 Patented Sept. 24, 1957 container as thecontainer is filled and which is crimped to avoid contamination as thecontainer is sealed with a stand cover.

ear and nose drop use.

Various methods have been used for filling containers with bacteria-freesolutions, however, it is difiicult to preand substantially sealedtherein.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a vessel and amethod for filling the same in which a Other features and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the following description taken inconnection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section with parts broken away showing theimproved bacteria-free container positioned in a pocket in a stand andthreaded on a neck at the upper end with parts of the supply containerand a weight positioned therein broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical section, similar to that shown in Figure 1, alsowith parts broken away and showing the assembly with the solutiondeposited into the lower container.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the container with parts brokenaway showing the lower part of the container, filter elements, and astand cap threaded on the neck of the container in section.

Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 5 with the lower partof the container and stand cap shown in elevation and with the body ofthe container shown in section.

in a supporting stand.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating a stand adapted to hold a plurality ofthe containers.

Figure 9 is a plan view looking downwardly upon the upper end of one ofthe containers.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts, the improved method and the equipment for theextemporaneous preparation of bacterially free solutions of thisinvention include a resilient or squeezable container 10 having adropper tip 11 extended from one side and a threaded neck 12 extendedfrom the upper end, a filter 13 mounted in the neck and positioned abovea perforated disc 14, a fillstand 17 adapted to be threaded on the neck12 of the container, filling containers 18 and 19 adapted to bepositioned on the threaded neck of the container 10 and a stand 20having open recesses or pockets 21 and 22 therein which are positionedto receive the lower ends of the containers 10 as shown in Figures 1 and2.

Although the container 10 is illustrated as being cylindrical, it willbe understood that it may be of any other suitable shape in crosssection and the container may also be of any suitable size. With theparts as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the dropper tip or spout 11extends To place the solutions in the containers, the containers arepositioned in pockets, such asthe pockets 21 and 22 in the stand 2%, theextended end of the dropper tip being snipped off with sterile shears toallow exit of the pressure created in the container and a bacteria-freebe dropped from the dropper tip drops 29.

When a sufficient amount of the solution is dropped from the droppertip, the cap 30 is secured over the end of the tip thereby sealing theopening.

The bacterially free solution is also adapted to be supplied to acontainer 31, similar to the container 10, with the containers 18 and19, the walls of which are adapted to be forced together to force asolution, such as the solution 32 therein, through a filtering element33 on the end of a neck 34 upon which a neck 35 'of the container 19 isthreaded and upon forcing the walls of the container 19 toward thecenter the solution therein is forced through the filtering element 33and into the container 31.

By the same means, additional material may be supplied by a container36, an annular flange 37 of which is threaded on a nipple 38 at theupper end of the container 19.

It will be understood that other means may be used for depositing thebacteria-free solutions into the lower container, such as the containers10 and 31, and with a suitable quantity of the solution in the lowercontainers, the containers 15, 18 and 19 are removed and the stand cover17 threaded on the open upper end of a container. The containers maythen be placed in the recesses or pockets 21 and 22, or the containermay be inverted, as shown in Figures and 6, whereby the material may bedropped through the spout 11.

The recesses or pockets 21 and 22 in the stand 20 are illustrated asbeing square, however, it will be understood that these recesses may beof any suitable shape or design and, particularly as shown in Figure 7,openings 40 and 41 are positioned in the centers of the recesses andextend to the lower portion of the stand.

With the parts designed and assembled in this manner, it will beunderstood that the method and equipment of this invention areparticularly useful for the externporaneous preparation of bacteriallyfree solutions, and the solutions may be placed in the container andremoved therefrom as desired.

If desired, sterile thickening agents which could not be filtered, suchas methyl cellulose or other acceptable agents, could be added, sterileat the time of manufacture, and the volume of the agent specified toallow the proper strength of medicament or other chemical when thesolution had been filtered into the container.

The containers may be calibrated as indicated by the numeral 42 inFigure 7, to denote the correct volume content, if desired.

Although the dropper tip 11 is illustrated as extending upwardly fromone side of the container 10, it will be understood that it may bepositioned at any other suitable point on the container.

With the product used in the container sterile at the time ofmanufacture and with the container pre-sterilized at manufacture andsealed until products therein are used, any possibility of contaminationof the products is substantially obviated.

The container is used, primarily, for the extemporaneous preparation ofbacterially free solutions which com-' prises a first step of forcing asolution from a supply thereof into a container of resilient material, asecond step of filtering the solution as it passes from the supply tothe container, the container, which is of resilient material, beingsterilized at the time of manufacture, and the third step of providingthe escape of air from said container.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of theappended claims, may be made in the de- 6 sign and arrangement of theparts without departing from 5 the, spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: e

1. A container filler for bacterially free solutions comprising acontainer of resilient material having a dropper tip extended therefromand having an exteriorly threaded neck on the upper end, a perforateddisc extended across said neck, a filter positioned in the neck andspaced from the perforated disc, a cap for sealing the dropper tip, avessel threaded on the threaded neck of the container and extendedupwardly therefrom, said vessel having a relatively small opening in thelower end for supplying liquid from the interior thereof to the filter,and pressure means for forcing material from the vessel through thefilter.

2. In a container filler, the combination which comprises a containerhaving a dropper tip extended upwardly at an angle from one side andhaving a threaded neck extended from the upper end, said container beingof bendable material, a perforated disc extended across the interior ofsaid neck, a filter positioned in the neck, a vessel threaded on saidneck and extended upwardly from the container, said vessel having acomparatively small orifice in the lower end, and a weight positioned insaid vessel.

3. In a container filler, the combination which comprises a tubularcontainer of resilient material having a dropper tip extended therefrom,said container being sterilized at the time of manufacture having anupwardly extended threaded neck, a stand having a recess adapted toreceive said container and having an opening extended from the recessthrough the lower surface, and a plurality of vessels of bendablematerial extended upwardly from said container, one of said vesselsbeing threaded upon the threaded neck of the container and another ofsaid vessels being threaded upon the upper end of the former vessel, thesaid connections between the containers and vessels being enclosed.

4. In a container filler, the combination which comprises a containerhaving a dropper tip extended therefrom and having a threaded neck onthe upper end, said containing being of bendable material, a perforateddisc extended across the interior of said neck, a filter positioned inthe neck, a vessel threaded on said neck and extended upwardly from thecontainer, said vessel having a comparatively small orifice in the lowerend, a Weight positioned in said vessel, and a stand and having a recesstherein for receiving the container for supporting the container in anupright position.

5. A container formed of squeezable material presterilized atmanufacture and having a bacterial filter fitted in an inlet passagetherein, said container having a dropper tip with an unobstructedpassage therethrough extended therefrom and the walls of said containerbeing adapted to be squeezed together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS855,525 McNutt June 4, 1907 1,191,831 Royer et al. July 18, 19161,967,439 Heineman July 24, 1934 2,011,891 Bowen et al Aug. 20', 19352,300,066 Schwab Oct. 27, 1942 2,431,192 Munson Nov. 18, 1947 2,497,980Soares Feb. 21, 1950 2,502,298 White Mar. 28, 1950 2,541,272 Murphy Feb.13, 1951 2,564,163 Leperre Aug. 14, 1951 2,655,152 Turner et al Oct. 13,1953 2,684,789 Marchant July 27, 1954 2,773,521 Persson Dec. 11, 1956FOREIGN PATENTS 25,495 Great Britain Nov. 15, 1911 605,345 Germany Nov.9, 1934

